Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 2: 13-18

When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.

When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi,
he became furious.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loud lamentation;
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she would not be consoled,
since they were no more.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today’s feast is jarring – the Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs.

We remember all those infants murdered by King Herod in his ruthless search for the infant Jesus. It’s hard to imagine a king issuing a death warrant for children, but some will do anything to stay in power, as we still see today.

This feast reminds us that there’s both light and darkness, good and evil, at work in our world, causing both joy and sorrow at Christmas.

While Jesus survived Herod’s wrath that year, many innocent children didn’t.

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This Gospel passage always makes me more sensitive to the suffering of others, who’ve tasted more sorrow than joy this holiday season.

I think of those who struggle with either a physical or mental illness; those who work double-shifts to put bread on the table; those who’ve lost someone they love, particularly parents who’ve lost a child like the parents – real people – in today’s Gospel.

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While I hope we’ve experienced something joyful this Christmas season, we should also remember those who’ve struggled. May we help to shoulder their burdens; dry their tears; break their isolation; and come to their aid.

Think of some way to be the “light” where there is darkness.

Holy Innocents, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) The Holy Innocents, Blisswood (2) Salisbury Catholic Churches (3) The Feller Family

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Gospel: John 20: 1-8

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we do not know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter
and arrived at the tomb first;
he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.
When Simon Peter arrived after him,
he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head,
not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.
Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first,
and he saw and believed.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Over the last three days, our readings have described the Christian journey in miniature.

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On Monday, we celebrated the birth of our Lord. This is the beginning of any journey of faith – believing in Jesus as Emmanuel, “God with us.”

The image of the Christ-child also serves as an appropriate image for a new believer, whose faith is still small, humble, and weak.

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Yesterday, we celebrated the Feast of Saint Stephen, who performed miracles, preached skillfully to crowds, and ministered to widows.

Stephen represents what happens to us when faith begins to mature: we act on it. 

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Today we encounter the third, final stage of the Christian journey: the empty tomb.

After we run the race of life to the finish and keep the faith, it’s our hope to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, whom Mary and the Apostles remind us, was raised from the dead.

May the same Spirit who raised Jesus bring us all to everlasting life.

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Image credits: (1) Getty Images (2) Eugene Burnand, Peter and John Running to the Tomb (3) KCIS 630

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Acts 6: 8-10, 7: 54-59

Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and he said,
“Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God.”
But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,
and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul. 
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

The Word of the Lord.

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Yesterday nearly one billion people gathered in churches around the world singing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” 

We celebrated the birth of our Savior.

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Today the Church takes us in, what feels like, the opposite direction.

We’re not celebrating the birth of a child, but the death of an innocent man, Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Why such an abrupt change in tone?

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Perhaps to remind us that faith always comes at a cost. It’s one thing to believe in Jesus – and another thing to do something about it.

As our first reading reveals, Stephen was a deacon who preached, took care of widows, performed miracles, and debated skillfully with the religious leaders of his day.

Much like his Lord, Stephen was put to death because of what he proclaimed. And as a final act of faith, he cried out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Stephen gave his life willingly for the Gospel because he believed that, like his Lord who was raised from a dark, dusty tomb shortly beforehand, he would rise again, as well.

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Yesterday nearly one-billion people gathered in churches around the world to faithfully celebrate the birth of the Christ-child, singing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Today we’re reminded to do something about it. As we prepare to enter another year, like Saint Stephen, what will I do about my faith?

Saint Stephen, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) Saint Stephen, Carlo Crivelli (2) Stoning of Saint Stephen, Giovani Battista Luccini (3) Church on the Rock